SILVER SPRING, Maryland – On Sept. 8, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo that allows federal agents to resume the practice of stopping and profiling individuals based on their presence at a particular location, the type of work they do, for speaking with an accent, and/or their apparent race or ethnicity. A federal court will hear further arguments on this case in the coming weeks that could shape the immediate future of this case and constitutional protections for generations. In the meantime, this Supreme Court ruling means the federal government can continue these unlawful arrests and raids that violate the Constitution's most fundamental protections against government overreach.

"This decision will only intensify the fear that our network's immigrant clients are experiencing," said Anna Gallagher, CLINIC's executive director. "Stops and arrests that are purely race-driven or discriminatory against certain types of workers are an affront to justice. The communities our network serves are terrified to leave the house to attend to their basic needs, including the right to worship freely. Our Catholic faith calls us to minister to and stand by those who are vulnerable, frightened, and in need. It speaks radically to the dignity of all people regardless of race or immigration status, and thus we deeply oppose the terror-inducing tactics of targeted round-ups and arrests."

"This ruling is an alarming departure from decades of Fourth Amendment precedent, and it opens the door further to mass arrests based on arbitrary, unconstitutional racial profiling," said Kristin de la Vega, CLINIC's litigation attorney. "No one should live in fear of being stopped or questioned simply because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the accent they carry. This ruling is incredibly disheartening because it signals a retreat from the core constitutional promises of equal protection, individual liberty, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. We will keep working with hope and determination until equality and justice are truly upheld for everyone."